The Sound of a Soul
by Mental Verin
Summary: Protected by Shibusen, Melly is a witch with the power over music, wind, and plants.  Her life is changed when she meets a young weapon of the DWMA and events occur that will change her and her peaceful life.  SoulxOC. Rated for violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.**

**A/N: **_This story was originally up on my Quizilla account but I've decided to revise all of my works and edit them as I see fit. This chapter was actually much shorter before I edited it and now is twice as long. I will be including a link on my profile page that will lead you to my account on where, if necessary, there are pictures of my original characters and outfits or accessories that are included in the story. Thanks and please review._

**The Sound of a Soul**

_By: MentalVerin_

**Chapter 1**

"Melly-chan~" the little black cat called out.

A girl with grey-white hair turned around and looked down at Blair the magic cat. The teenager wore her hair short in the back, the softer hairs brushing at her neck, and long in the front, her bangs slightly obscuring her face from curious eyes. Her dark red eyes smiled happily as she greeted her cat friend who ran up to her. Melly felt a light breeze brush against her and made the fabric of her clothes ruffle a bit. Her short, black miniskirt fluttered against her legs, covered by black leggings that stopped at mid-calf and clung to her slim limbs. The ruffles that were the sleeves of her blue top moved delicately against the lightly tanned skin of her arms as she reached up and brushed her bangs from her eyes so that she could see her friend more clearly, resulting in the gold bangles around her wrists to chime together slightly and glint in the afternoon sun. The beige colored tank top underneath her shirt hugged her body snuggly as the soft, loose fabric of her shirt skim against her.

"Hey, Blair-chan," she replied and kneeled down to scratch the cat's head. She purred loudly as the girl stoked the cat's soft fur.

"Hey, Melly, guess what!" Blair cheered. "I found a new owner and they're really nice. They're students from Shibusen."

Melly smiled. "I'm glad to hear it," she said. "If Jim didn't live with me, I would let you stay at my house."

"It's okay, Melly-chan. Maka-chan and Soul-kun are really nice and make me fish every night."

The girl smiled and Blair smiled back.

Suddenly the sound of a boy's voice could be heard calling Blair's name.

"Blair! Blair! Damnit! Why did Maka send me after that cat?" the boy's voice yelled through the crowd of people.

"Blair-chan, looks like someone is looking for you," Melly said.

"Oh! It's Soul-kun! C'mon Melly! I wanna introduce you," Blair said before running off towards the voice.

A smile lighted upon the girl's face before she followed after her friend. She led Melly to a boy with spiky white hair and red eyes. He wore a blue long-sleeve shirt that hung loosely around his torso and a pair of blue skinni-jeans as he looked around the area, supposedly looking for Blair. Melly stumbled slightly as she admired the boy. His skin was tanned and as the light winds of the day went by him, it pressed his shirt to his torso and allowed Melly the chance to view defined muscles. He had a slightly bored look in his eyes as he turned on the spot, searching in all directions for Melly's cat companion. As said cat ran towards him, dodging the legs and feet of the people who got in her way, Melly looked at his feet and saw he wore a pair of plain white tennis-shoes that were worn and had light graying streaks from their use. He was a handsome boy and Melly blushed slightly at her inner confession.

"Blair!" he called again. The girl caught sight of sharp, shark-like teeth as he called out for the cat again. Melly's mood dropped as she realized what this discovery meant but kept a smile so as to keep Blair from noticing her despair.

"Soul-kun!" Blair called out to him and ran up to his feet.

"Blair, where have you been?" he asked.

"Soul-kun! I want you to meet my friend Melly!" Blair said with a smile.

Soul looked up at Melly and she smiled at him with a slight blush dusting her cheeks shyly. He wouldn't recognize her as a witch because of the civilian clothes she wore instead of witch clothes that were normally worn around her house and the forest she lived in.

"Hello," she said politely, standing across form Soul, Blair sitting between the two teenagers with a slight twitching of her tail as she watched their interaction with each other.

"Hey," Soul said back.

"Soul is a student at Shibusen, Melly!" Blair cheered after their greeting to each other. "He's a demon scythe weapon." Blair's statement confirmed Melly's suspicions from before and her forlorn mood increased as she widened her smile with a fakeness that burned her.

"So you're Blair's new owner?" Melly asked, changing the subject to a more comfortable topic.

"Owner? I didn't know I owned the cat. She just kind of moved in on her own," Soul said, scratching the back of his neck.

The girl looked down at Blair and smirked. "Sounds like her," she said. Looking back up at Soul, Melly sighed. "Well I need to get home now." She needed to get away from here before the weapon in front of her figured her out to be a witch, most likely by a slip of Blair's. If he found out before she got away and was able to call his meister to him, they would no doubt take her witch's soul, killing her in the process.

"Ok, Melly-chan! Tell Jim I said 'Hi'!" Blair said waving a paw at her young female friend.

Melly nodded and turned to leave, walking down the street. She took the next turn and disappeared around the corner.

Soul watched her walk down the street until she turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

"Hey, Blair? How do you know her?" he asked the magic cat.

Blair looked up at the boy with her big green eyes. "She rescued me from a rabid dog. She also taught me the magic I know," Blair explained innocently.

"Huh? She knows magic?" he asked. This was an interesting fact as there were very few people in the world aside from witches who could do magic. Blair was also when of the few creatures in the world who could claim such feats. The girl hadn't looked like a witch and she looked innocent of any of the foul deeds performed by witches. He doubted she was so but he was curious about her and if she could do magic there was a chance that she was his enemy as a witch. He hoped not. He focused his attention back on Blair as she continued to explain about the girl.

"Of course she does! She's a witch after all," Blair said and trotted off, the slip up revealed and she uncaring.

Soul was frozen in shock for a second but then burst out, " SHE'S A WHAT?"

Melly padded through the forest, barefooted, as she made the thirty minute journey from the city to her cottage hidden within the tall trees. She had changed out of her civilian clothes and into the witch's outfit that allowed her more movement and freedom before she released the Soul Protect and leaving Death City's boundaries. Her hood was up and hid her white hair from the day light that peeked through the foliage of leaves overhead.

She hummed a tune as she skipped towards her house that was shared with Jim, the wolf shape shifter. He was her roommate in the small cottage and acted as a brotherly figure to her. He was the one she looked to for support in all of her decisions and she was glad to have him by her side.

"Hmm...I wonder what I should make for dinner tonight," the teenaged girl mused to herself.

She slowed down as she came within sight of the small wood cabin. Jim was lying on the porch in his wolf form, supposedly sleeping. The large black wolf had three piercings in his left ear and a scar over his right eye. These features were present in his human form as well along with rippling muscles and short cropped hair the color of coal.

"Jimmy-kun~" Melly sang in the wolf's ear as she leaned over the canine.

"Go away, Melly. You took forever in town and now I'm hungry," the wolf growled.

Another smile graced her lips as she leaned back on to her heels and linked her hands behind her back. "Alright, I'll go make dinner. What do you want to eat?" she said.

"I caught some rabbits earlier. They're in the fridge," Jim mumbled.

Melly nodded and went into the house to cook dinner for her hungry wolf and herself. Pulling two rabbits from the fridge and some veggies that were hidden in the back Melly set about making a rabbit stew. She skinned the rabbits with practiced and fluid motions before cutting the meat into small chunks and setting the meat to the side. Leaving her chopping station, she danced around the kitchen gracefully and pulled a large pot from the cupboards beneath counter. She placed the utensil on the stove and then danced around again and this time came back to the pot with four cans of broth held in her arms. Lighting the stove, she opened and poured all four cans into the pot and then dumped the rabbit bits in as well. As she waited for the concoction to simmer she chopped up the carrots, celery, potatoes, and turnips that she had pulled out of the fridge earlier. The chopping process took no longer than two minutes as she completed the action of peeling the potatoes and chopping all of the veggies with assured confidence before pouring them into the simmering cauldron. Sprinkling some herbs pulled from the cupboard above the stove she stirred the stew about to mix everything together into a savory and tantalizing dinner.

She felt Jim come into the house and sniff at her pants leg as she was finishing the stew with a few more stirring motions with her ladle. "You smell like cat," he groaned. "Did you see Blair?"

Melly smiled and nodded.

"You also have the scent of a boy around you," Jim stated bluntly.

She twitched. _Damn werewolves and their sense of smell!_ Melly thought. "I don't know what you're talking about," she declared.

Jim grunted. "Then why is your aura all weird today?"

"Ah! The food's done! Time for dinner!" Melly laughed hesitantly trying to distract his attention from her scent.

"Whatever," Jim grumbled as the witch began to spoon the stew into some bowls. He slowly morphed into a man so that he could sit at the table and eat.

Jim was a handsome black man with dark hair and odd blue eyes. He was wearing sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt as he took a bowl from your hands and sat at the table to join Melly for dinner.

The quiet was peaceful as the sounds of slurped stew filled the room. Melly hoped that it meant Jim had forgotten about her scent for the moment and she wouldn't be interrogated with embarrassing question.

Unfortunately, her hopes were crushed when Jim said, "So tell me about him?"

Melly twitched again and stared into her bowl. "W-what do you mean?"

Jim sighed and set his spoon down. "You're a terrible liar. And your aura is all out of whack. Happiness, Joy, Admiration, then Guilt, Depression, Worry, and Loneliness," Jim stated.

Melly's shoulders slumped as she stared at the wood pattern on the table. "He's...He's a Shibusen weapon student," she said sadly.

Jim sighed again and patted the girl on her snow white head. "I'm sorry, Melly," he said, truly meaning his apology.

This girl that sat before him was his charge and his to care for. He saw her as his younger sister and would do anything to keep her happy and make sure she stayed so. But attraction to a student of the Death Meister Weapon Academy was something her couldn't save her from. As a weapon of Shibusen he would be required to hunt down Kishin eggs and…witches.

Melly sniffled and wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands. She knew that a possible relationship with the boy was not something she could embrace. At any given moment, he could be called to track her down and take her soul like so many other witches before her. The only safety net she had from such a fate was the job that the Shinigami had given her when she came to Death City several years ago. But that protection wasn't as she strong as Jim would have liked for her. There were too many things that could happen that Melly could be blamed and then sentenced for.

Jim got up from his chair and walked around the table to stand beside his young charge. "C'mon, Kid. You've had a long day. Go ahead and go to bed and I'll clean up," Jim said, touching her shoulder lightly.

Melly nodded and stood up before walking slowly to her closed bedroom door. She was too distraught at the moment to argue with Jim and knew that any argument they did have at the moment he would win with ease. So instead of picking a fight and claiming that she could function just fine and do the dishes, she opened her door on shaky legs and stumbled through the portal. With a shuddering sigh, she closed the wood door behind her and leaned against as she tried to get over her wrecked nerves.

She knew what could happen if she let herself think too long on the boy she had met today in the city through an introduction produced by her cat friend. But she couldn't help the desire and longing that gripped at her chest. She wanted a relationship with the boy but knew that she'd have to refrain as a precaution to stay safe and hidden in her woods. She already spent enough energy trying to keep within the guidelines required of her so that she would never be hunted by the students of Shibusen.

Clutching at her chest with a white knuckled grip, bunching the black fabric of her vest in her hand, Melly pushed herself away from the door and walked with unsteady movements to her bed. Uncaring, she fell face first into the soft mattress that presented her with a safe landing. She remained laying on her stomach, hoping for sleep to come quickly. But tears came unbidden to her eyes and she could not refuse them as they fell down her pallor cheeks. She knew she shouldn't have been crying over a boy she didn't even know but she did anyways, feeling the biting pain of loneliness pierce her heart with no mercy. So she silently wept for a love that would never be experienced and let the pain lull her into a deep sleep filled with dreams of being held in a pair of strong arms that kept her warm and safe.

"Soul..." Melly mumbled in her sleep as she turned on to her side, clutching her pillow to her chest.

Soul leaned back in his chair, thinking of the girl that Blair had introduced him to earlier this evening. She was a witch, so his thoughts didn't make any since to his own mind. He was after a witch's soul but there was something in him that wanted to know this girl better. She intrigued him and he couldn't understand why. He wanted to find her and make her tell him what was going on. Tell him why she wouldn't leave his thoughts. But the likely hood of that happening was slim to none. He figured, though, that she had cast some kind of spell on him. He guessed it to be a spell that caused infatuation.

Sighing, he turned off the light in his room before going to bed with his mind still plagued by a girl with white, grey hair and crimson red eyes. If he didn't know better he would have mistook her for his sister but the only sibling he had was his older brother.

Tossing thoughts of his family away before the memories made him sick he tried to calm himself and sleep. But sleep evaded him and his mind wouldn't stop thinking. He stared at the ceiling for what felt like forever until he finally got up, ticked off, and got dressed. He would go on a walk and see if that wouldn't help to settle his wired nerves and let him sleep. Insomnia was not good for a weapon to have and he needed his bed rest.

Silently, Soul left his room, padding carefully across the linoleum floor of the kitchen in his socks. If he woke Maka or Blair he knew he either wouldn't hear the end of it or would never get to sleep if either female woke up and saw him sneaking out of the house. Quickly and quietly he slipped on his shoes, lacing them up with memorized procession in the darkness of the room, before slipping out the door and into the hallway outside.

Sighing when he was out of danger of waking to very differently temper mental women Soul began walking. He didn't know where he was going but he didn't care and figured he'd soon find out where his feet were leading him if he just let them. His discovery though was not found though until he found himself completely lost in the forest surrounding Death City.

Soul heaved a sigh, knowing he was completely lost in the dark and would have to wait until the morning when the sun could get through the tree foliage. Resigned to his fate at the moment, Soul walked over to one of the nearby trees and sat down, nestled between the roots of the ancient life form. Settling in, he stared up at the canopy, unable to see the sky because the greenery was so thick and blended with the darkness of the night sky.

"Damn this is so un-cool," he hissed as he leaned back against the tree. "Can't believe a cool guy like me got lost," he mumbled.

Slowly, he started to drift asleep with the comfort of the trees around him. Sighing, Soul closed his eyes and let his mind finally drift off. He would simply try to find his way out tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Soul Eater.**

**A/N:**_ The second chapter from the Soul Eater fanfic that I originally posted on Quizilla. This is also revised and edited as the first chapter was._

* * *

><p><strong>The Sound of a Soul<strong>

_By: Mental Verin_

**Chapter 2**

Melly woke up to a thrumming in her head, the tell-tale signs that something was in the forest. Sliding out of bed Melly quickly changed out of her clothes from the day before and into a new set before padding out of her room, quietly making her way past Jim's closed bedroom door. Be careful to skip the floor boards that creaked throughout the house, she made her way to the front door and turned the knob silently, thanking Shinigami that Jim kept all of the door hinges well oiled so they wouldn't squeak, and opened the door only enough to where she could slip out with ease.

The clearing outside of the house was empty, an early morning fog spread through the air lightly. Everything in the forest was asleep; the only noise was the sound of Melly's light breathing. She glimpsed around, the shadowy silhouettes of the surrounding trees visible through the light fog as she stepped down from the porch and onto the soft grass. The quiet continued to spread out and Melly closed her eyes to concentrate on the invisible pulse of the forest. She could feel the lingering vibrations that had woke her up but she had to focus to find the thread that would lead her to the source of the small disturbance. In her mind she saw the roots of the trees surrounding her, all connecting to each other like a single organism, and saw it. The pulse that wasn't a part of the forest glowed in her mind like a red dot on a map.

With a second though, Melly ran off into the trees, following the map in her head of the forest and where the newest member of the forest was. She hopped over roots and boulders, fallen trees and small streams in a memorized and quick path that took her towards the center of the forest, where the largest and oldest trees lived. The gold bangles on her wrists and ankles chimed in the cool morning air as the teenage witch ran with confident grace over the mossy ground.

Melly slowed down her pace to a light jog as she came to the very center of the forest where an old oak, the originating tree and oldest in the forest, was planted. Slowing to an observing walk, Melly circled the tree, her curious red eyes skimming over the tree's thick roots for that red dot on her mental map. She almost circled the tree completely before she saw who it was that had intruded into this domain without consent.

He lay among the roots, his breathing deep and calm as he slept in the nestled warmth that was provided by his own body. He wore a yellow and black letterman jacket that had an insignia stitched over his left pectoral and deep burgundy red pants. Yellow, black, and white shoes that looked like they had teeth covered his feet as the heels dug into the loamy soil of the forest. His white hair was ruffled a bit with a few fallen leaves from the oak above him clinging to the shocking locks but otherwise held in place by a headband with patches stitched in it. One read SOUL and the other EAT.

Melly watched his sleeping face as he lay in the roots of her favorite tree and enjoyed her second viewing of this handsome boy who had wandered into her forest in the night. She had the urge to get closer to him and kneel beside his sleeping form. With light and hesitant steps, Melly approached Soul quietly so she wouldn't disturb his sleep just yet. His sleep was peaceful as his back leaned back into the oak so that he was in a sort of sitting position. Melly reached out and traced the line of his strong jaw, up his cheek and over his brow. She gently stroked a stray strand of white hair from his face and tucked it behind his ear in a soft caress.

Cupping his cheek in her hand, a blush bloomed across your nose as the weapon turned his face into your palm. The move was so innocently animal like that the young witch couldn't stop the smile that spread over her thin lips as she felt his warm breath tickle her wrist. She enjoyed the lone moment she could take at this time to show affection to someone other than Jim without the lingering consequence of being hunted.

The thought of the danger ruined her mood and she sighed with a forlorn air as her smile slipped from her face. When he woke up and saw her, he would know what she was, if Blair hadn't told him already, and the hunt would begin with her as the prey and he the predator. If he caught her, he would eat her soul and become a Death Scythe to be wielded by Shinigami.

Ending the moment of calm and peace, Melly leaned down and embraced the inevitable, putting her lips centimeters from his ear. "Wake up, Soul. It's time for you to go home," she whispered.

She leaned back then stood before trotting over to the other side of the path. The witch hopped up onto a thick tree root and watched from a distance as Soul awoke, opening his eyes with a fluttering slowness. He groggily sat up and looked around, trying to regain his bearings of where he was and what time it was. Then his gaze landed on the young girl standing across the dirt path from him. Her hood was, the black cloth covering her grayish hair from view and her dark red eyes peering at him from the shadows over her face. The black clothing was a large change from her more innocent clothing from the day before. Her slender arms were exposed, wearing a black vest with only a hood and zipper to accessorize the top, and she was barefoot now unlike yesterday when she had worn black flats. Her three-quarter length pants bunched up at mid-calf like her tights had done but were loose for extra movement. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she waited for the weapon to gather his wits.

He stared at the witch before him for a minute as he took in your changed appearance before he tried to speak. "Melly…" he started before the girl took off at a quick run through the trees.

She heard him quickly stand with a curse and run after her, his shoed feet thumping against the dark soil of the forest floor. He wasn't quiet and his pace, not used for running through a forest where roots could easily trip him up with his inexperience, gave away his position in the woods that were slowly lighting up as the morning sun broke through the canopy. Melly looked over her shoulder and smiled to see him trying to catch up to her quick and even pace as she hopped over roots, brooks, and large boulders.

They had been running for about ten minutes, traveling over a mile and a half before Melly jumped on top of a fallen log and landed gracefully. She stopped running and turned to see Soul catching up with panting breath. She smiled and waited for him to reach her area so that he could catch his breath before the next leg of his journey home.

When he caught up he leaned over and gasped for air, panting heavily with the strain on his lungs and muscles. He was bent at the waist, his hands gripping his knees with white knuckles as sweat dripped down his face. Melly allowed him the time he needed to catch his breath before turning to go the rest of the way, knowing he would follow but stopped when he called out to her.

"Wait!" he called. The girl paused, waiting for him to continue. "Melly! I know you're her! I know you're a witch!" he declared.

She turned back to look at him with narrowed red eyes. He stared back at her with a look that dared to say he was wrong about his declaration. Blair had ratted her out to him, no doubt. The silly cat didn't know when to keep her gossip mouth shut.

Sighing Melly turned and lifted her hands to her hood before pushing the cloth back and revealing herself to the weapon that could end her life if he wanted. She looked down at Soul, her grey-white hair and red eyes exposed. "Congratulations, Soul. You found a witch," she said with a false smile. She jumped down from the log and stood in front of him, feigning her fearless nature. "So? What's your next move?" she asked him.

It was quiet between the two teenagers as the girl waited for his response to her quest. While she waited for him to reply, she took in every observation about him that her mind could process in a short amount of time, knowing that was all the time allotted to her before he made his move against her, most likely to end her life.

He was half a foot taller than her five feet and four inches, making her feel feminine and short. He truly was handsome, the only blemish on his tanned face were the light circles under his eyes, as though he hadn't been getting much sleep in the last few days. This made her wonder what the cause was but pushed the thought aside for another time if she lived past this morning. Lying in the trees had given him an earthy smell. The light wind that swept through the trees brought his scent to her gently. He smelled like the leather of his jacket and the accompanying smell of nature from his night spent in the woods. She was sure that if she could get closer to him, she would also smell the warm male scent that was different with each guy. She knew Jim smelled like warm sandalwood and she was curious what Soul's unique scent would be.

Melly was so wrapped up in her thoughts of what Soul's scent could be that she didn't notice him moving until he had her by the wrists and pinned against a tree. His grip was strong but his hands were soft. His long fingers wrapped completely around her slender wrists. The features of his hands attributed to a pianists talent and a familiarity with the ebony and ivory keys under hand and his command. Melly stared at Soul with wide eyes. He had his head down so she couldn't see the expression on his face but the hold on your wrists was tight so she couldn't break free of his hold. But she didn't want to break free; she enjoyed the feeling of his musician hands wrapped around her fragile wrists even though she knew he could easily break her bones.

She waited for him to move or say something and the quiet of the forest lingered in between them. She didn't have to wait long as he began to growl at her.

"Why? Why won't you get out of my head?" he hissed through his teeth.

Melly was surprised at his question and stuttered out her reply. "I-I'm...in your head?" she asked.

He picked up his head up and glared at her with his beautiful red eyes. "Of course you are! You cast a freaking spell on me didn't you?"

Melly smiled as she realized he thought she was one of the few witches who seduced their victims to love them. The common people called them Succubus, for they had no real title like one of the many witches who controlled animals or elements. Melly smiled at him kindly as she explained to him the misunderstanding. "I haven't cast any spells lately. And my powers don't evolve spells of lust or love. I'm a hedge witch who uses music to make the plants grow," she said.

Soul's eyes had grown wide. "Music? Plants?" he asked.

Melly's smile grew wider as she nodded in reply. "I guess Blair didn't tell you what kind of witch I was," she said.

Soul shook his head, confirming Melly's guess.

"Anyways, I've never been hunted. Shinigami-sama actually commissioned me to stay out here to help the plants grow," Melly continued with an explanation for her presence in the forest.

"Shinigami-sama?" Soul asked surprised.

Melly nodded.

Soul sighed and let her go. Her arms dropped to her sides as he turned away and began walking away, making the bangles around her wrists chime. Soul stopped when he heard the bangles' suddel tinkle fill the clearing.

"You're a musician too, aren't you, Soul?" Melly asked as she walked past him so that she stood on a flat space of dirt and began to dance around the clearing. "_**Muse music musica muse**_," her slight hum accompanied the soft chime as Melly raised her hands above her head, crossing her wrists in a starting position, and bending her right leg at the kneed, balancing on the ball of her right foot as her left leg remained straight.

Slowly the plants around Melly and Soul began to glow and fill the air with a delicate sweet scent. Her movements flowed together smoothly as the dance embodied the element of water, allowing her limbs to flow like a gentle river or the small brooks that were spread throughout the forest. She moved like liquid but those same movements were fiery and enticing to the eye. She moved with a strength that embodied the earth under her feet but gracefully like the wind that brushed her skin like a delicate caress. The bangles on her wrists and ankles chimed a rhythmic tune with each practiced step, leap, or twirl.

Soul watched the performance, his eyes riveted to the dancer and entranced by her controlled yet beautiful movements. She ignored the attention he lavished on her and concentrated on the complex steps as she made sure to hit each note. Her style of music was one of the most difficult as it was controlled by her steps. One misplaced movement or falter would ruin the whole thing and the spell would crumble and die without completion. She didn't want the plants to suffer from her lax of abilities and so practiced the movements daily, making sure to hit each chime with her bracelets and anklets without missing a beat. It was an arduous process but the final performance always made it worth the taxing training.

Slowly, the spell came to an end and Melly stopped dancing with a balletic turn and the glow from the plants subsided into the normal shade of leafy green. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of the flowers that had been released during the dance along with the glow of magic.

Bad idea.

Soul pinned her against a tree again and did something beyond what she would have expected of him. Melly's eyes widened as he pressed his lips to hers with a gentle firmness that belied his earlier and harsher treatment of her. His lips were soft and warm as he compelled her lips to move with his in the kiss. His hands were again wrapped around her wrists and squeezed gently as the kiss slowed to a stop and he separated their lips, leaning his forehead against hers and looking at her with smoldering red eyes. "Stop teasing me," he hissed.

Melly nodded slowly, still caught in the euphoria of the shared kiss. She gradually started to calm down and smiled up at him.

"Eh? What are you smiling at?"Soul asked with a raised eyebrow.

Melly chuckled quietly under her breath before she answered his question. "That was my first kiss. Thank you for being the one to steal it," she said with a smile.

Soul took a step back in shock but Melly refused to let him get away and grabbed him by the front of his jacket pulling him back to her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on to him in a tight embrace. He was warm and she curled herself into the warmth like a cat after consuming a bowl of cream. Soul was stunned as the small witch snuggled her face into his chest and stayed like that.

Slowly, Soul wrapped his arms around her thin shoulders and held on to her. Melly smiled to herself and breathed in the warm male scent she had wondered about earlier. It was a rich lemon grass scent that tickled her nose with its enticing fragrance.

"Someday, Soul, I hope to hear one of your compositions," Melly mumbled into his chest.

Soul chuckled. "I'm not much, but I can play the piano," he said.

Melly giggled and lifted her head to look at him. She smiled and leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on his lips. Her arms moved on their own to place her hands upon his chest. Soul licked her bottom lip and she hesitated for only a second before she opened her mouth to him. He tasted sweet like chocolate but also minty. A moan bubbled from somewhere in her throat when Melly felt his hands move down your body and take hold of her waist. He leaned the witch back against the tree she had previously been pressed against and deepened the kiss to explore every crevice of her mouth, tasting Melly to the fullest extent.

They were just getting into it when the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted the embrace. Melly looked up to see Jim standing a few feet away from their current position with his arms crossed over his chest.

"J-Jim!" Melly stuttered.

"Melly, the Reaper wants to see you," Jim said.

"Heh heh heh," the girl laughed hesitantly. "Alright, I'm coming."

Soul released her and looked over at Jim. "Who is he?" He asked.

"Oh! Soul this is Jim. He's my roommate and guardian and he acts like he's my big brother!" Melly said.

"Hmpf," Soul said and walked over to Jim, Melly prancing after him.

"I'll lead you out so you can go to school," Jim said.

Soul nodded and looked over at the girl he'd been kissing only a few seconds ago. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Eh? I have to go talk to Shinigami-sama," she said pointing to herself.

Soul nodded and Jim motioned for the boy to follow him but Soul refused to leave until Melly was gone.

Sighing Melly pulled her hood back on over her grey hair. "Well, let's get going then," she mumbled. Putting her fingers to her lips and whistled a sharp note and held her hand out, prepared to grab the broom that flew out of the trees.

Melly sat on the wood handle sideways, allowing her feet to dangle, as it began to rise. "I'll see you later, Soul~!" she called as the broom rose up into the air.

Soul watched Melly leave the clearing and disappear into the sky. When she was gone he turned back to the dark skinned man, Jim as Melly had called, who was glaring at the weapon with an annoyed look.

Soul twitched with unease at the stare being directed at him. "What?" he growled.

Jim stared at the boy without saying anything. The man was starting to unnerve Soul and make him weary of Melly's guardian. When he did finally speak, he spoke in a low growl, making sure his warning was delivered to the teenager. "If you hurt her, I won't hesitate to kill you," he cautioned.

Soul twitched some more as the black man turned around and began walking away through the woods.

_Why would I hurt her?_ Soul thought to himself before following after Jim.

"What?" Melly asked after hearing the Shinigami's request. She currently stood in the Death Room in front of the cartoonish death god and his weapon Spirit Albarn. The raised platform was placed in the center of the large room, surrounded by a yellow floor, crosses sticking up from the ground, and blue walls that curved into a domed roof. The walls and ceiling were the most unnatural part of the room due to the occasional drifting cloud and random small windows. A path of guillotine arches led form the entrance of the room up to the short flight of stairs that were a part of the dais that the three conversing people stood upon.

"You heard him, Melly!" Spirit cheered.

Spirit was a kind man with shoulder length crimson red hair and bright blue eyes that were always very expressive. Melly looked to the man as she would her own father due to the circumstances of how they met. She loved him, but he did have his flaws, his main one being his lecherous attitude towards women over the age of twenty.

"B-but...I'm a witch! What if they attack me?" Melly asked with genuine worry.

"You can bring Jim-kun with you," Shinigami said, speaking as if that finalized the topic.

The young witch sighed, knowing there was no way for her to get out of this situation. "You're not gonna give this one up, are you?" she asked the ancient god.

"Nope!" Shinigami and Spirit said together.

Melly sighed and massaged her temples to relieve the ache growing there. Both men always gave her a headache, but they looked after her always so she owed them.

"Do I have to use Soul Protect?" the girl asked with trepidation.

"Not if you don't want to," Shinigami said.

"But there are some who can see souls," Spirit added.

Melly groaned. "Well it's too much of a hassle to use Soul Protect at my age. When do I start?" she said with a look that bordered on bored and annoyed.

"10 minutes," Shinigami and Spirit said together.

Melly glared openly at the two and heaved a sigh before turning to leave the room that consisted of the two most annoying beings in existence. As she walked down the guillotine hallway she contemplated ways of convince Jim to come along with her on the duty set to her by her benefactor. It would be extremely tough, because Jim disliked people in general.

The witch sighed as she left the Death Room, as it was affectionately called, and walked down the hallway to a room with a sign hanging over it saying Crescent Moon Room. Everyone was talking as the small witch walked into the room unnoticed and preceded to the front of the room and sat on top of the desk there. She watched the class for a moment, seeing if they would notice her presence. They were still talking, chattering excessively and with no end.

Sighing with a touch of annoyance, Melly sucked in a deep breath, feeling her lungs filled up with air, and released it all on a sharp note that caught everyone's attention. The students immediately quieted down and shut up. They looked down at the girl with curiosity and she glared back up at them, boredly leaning back with her arm supporting her light frame.

"Good evening," she started, "I am your new Witches Studies teacher, Melly."

It was quiet. The sound of a pen dropping could have been heard and the silence annoyed Melly even further than the rowdy noise. Then a girl with blonde pig-tails that Melly recognized as Spirit's daughter stood up and pointed and accusing finger down at the witch.

"What's a witch doing in Shibusen? And you're not even using Soul Protect either!" she said.

Melly yawned, her boredom becoming apparent to the rest of the class. "If you want to know why I'm here, go ask Shinigami. It was his idea. Also, I'm not using Soul Protect because it's too much of a hassle to hold long term when I don't even care if you know I'm here or not," she said, leaning forward, crossing her right leg over her left, and laying her arms over her crossed legs.

"But-" Maka Albarn was cut off by a knock on the door. Everyone's attention was riveted to the door as it opened to admit Soul and Jim into the classroom.

Soul hesitated for a moment when he noticed Melly sitting on the desk in front of a room full of Meister and Weapon students who would give anything to get a witch's soul. When he regained from shock, he ran over to the young girl with quick and determined strides. Jim followed after him and took up a position behind Melly's desk, his eyes flickering over all the students in the room.

"Melly! What are you doing here? Don't you know how many people are here that can see souls? How many of them would give their lives to get a witch soul?" he hissed at her.

She looked at him with a bored expression before explaining her presence in the school. "Shinigami assigned me as the new teacher for Witches Studies," she said, her bored expression deepening.

"He did?" Soul asked.

"Soul!" Maka yelled from her seat. Soul flinched at the anger in her voice. "Get away from her!" the young meister ordered. The entire class held a collective breath as they waited to see the next move that was to be made. The young teacher was beginning to understand Jim's dislike of people as the day wore on.

Melly heaved another sigh, guessing that Soul was Maka's weapon. Just. Her. Luck. Shinigami owed her big time for this one.

"Maka Albarn!" the witch called out. She looked at Melly with a frown and an angry glare. "If you have a problem with me as your teacher, even though I'm doing this as a favor, please go to the Death Room and speak to Shinigami-sama and your father." She glared at Maka before turning a smile to Soul. "Soul, please go take your seat."

He nodded slowly, and then trudged up the stairs to sit beside his fuming meister. Their relationship, whatever its position, would be difficult if Maka didn't get over her hatred of Melly.

Sighing, with Jim standing guard at her back, Melly began the lesson she had been assigned to teach.

"Alright, class," she started, "I'm going to explain three ways to tell if a witch is using Soul Protect without having to be able to see souls."

The witch teacher proceeded to go into her lecture about how to tell a witch from normal humans without the abilities possessed by special cases such as Maka Albarn or Doctor Franken Stein. After the class, Melly was getting ready to leave with Jim (they needed to go talk to Shinigami about new textbooks) when Soul came up to her. She waited until the rest of the students left before sending Jim out of the room so that the two teenagers could have a moment of privacy.

When the door closed behind her friend, Melly looked at the Demon Scythe with a smile. He then surprised her by reaching out, grabbing her wrist, and pulling the girl tight against him. He wrapped his arms around her and ran his hands through her hair, in an effort to calm himself, she assumed. Melly closed her eyes and breathed in his scent as he held her. He still smelled like the woods. Melly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back, silently giving him more comfort with her presence.

"It freaked me out when I saw you in here," he said.

Melly laughed, leaning back to look at him and smiling at how much he genuinely cared for her. "I'm sorry if I scared you," she said. He shrugged and leaned in to kiss his witch gently. The kiss was sweet and innocent, like the first kiss that Soul had stolen from her, but Melly pressed into it, wanting more than the soft graze of skin, but he pulled back, breaking away with a declaration of being unable to fool around at the moment. Melly pouted at him and he chuckled to himself before pressing a final kiss to her lips and pulling away.

* * *

><p>-<strong>Succubus is <strong>** a demon in female form, said to have sexual intercourse with men in their sleep. A prostitute is also considered to be a succubus. There is no accurate definition for a witch who performs love spells so I used a succubus as a way of defining a witch who used love magic to make men fall in love with her and do her bidding.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own Soul Eater. The only things that I claim are the characters Jim and Melly._

**The Sound of a Soul**

**Chapter 3**

Melly's bare feet padded against the cold marble floor as she made her way towards the Death Room to meet with the Shinigami. Jim walked at her side, also barefoot, and was silent as he carried a copy of the witches study textbook that the class was assigned. Due to all of the rumors and misconceptions made about witches, half of the book was incorrect, flawed, or opinionated.

A small chill went up Melly's spine as her bare feet continued to make contact with the cold marble flooring. She was reconsidering her oath as a witch to walk around barefoot; it wasn't to helpful when walking over extremely cold surfaces. She and Jim reached the oddly decorated metal door that led to the Death Room and the werewolf opened it with only a slight pause in the duo's strides. Jim allowed his witch friend to enter first before following her inside the room and closing the door behind him with a resounding bang. Together they made their way down the guillotine hallway.

Nearing the platform their sensitive hearing began to pick up sound of an argument that was occurring on the center platform in the room. Melly quirked her head to the side in curiosity of what was being said as she got closer.

"But, Shinigami-sama, she's a witch!" the sound of a girl's voice resounded through the unique path.

The voice seemed familiar to the small witch but she couldn't place it.

"It's Maka Albarn," Jim said in a quiet yet gruff voice.

Melly pouted when the werewolf heard what you could not as he seemingly read her mind. "I knew that," she mumbled, looking over her shoulder with a mock glare directed at her taller companion. _Damn werewolves and their heightened sense of hearing,_ she thought as she turned back around with a comical frown present.

Jim sighed a "whatever" as they continued their journey to the platform.

"Maka-chan, please try to understand," Spirit was saying as Melly hopped up the small set of stairs.

Shinigami turned to the pair as Jim walked up beside his young friend. Melly, being silly, gave him a quiet, cat-like wave in greeting as the fight between father and daughter continued with the red corner, Spirit, on the losing side. Maka and Spirit had yet to notice the presence of the two new additions to the room and Melly, Jim, and Shinigami watched them quietly. Melly was tempted to summon a bucket of popcorn to watch but a glare from Jim restrained her as he once again read her mind.

"Papa, I can't believe you would agree to something like this," the blonde stated.

"Maka, you must understand that the best way to learn about witches is to be taught by one," Spirit pointed out.

"But that's the point. She could be telling us lies," Maka countered.

"Melly wouldn't tell lies to those who protect her," Spirit claimed.

"How would you know? You're a lying womanizer," Maka said crudely.

Shinigami anime-sweat dropped as his death scythe began to cry. It was a very pathetic site when the strongest weapon in history was reduced to a puddle of tears by his own daughter who, honestly, was only speaking the truth. Pathetic, but very comical in the opinion of the resident witch who still thought a bucket of popcorn was a good idea for watching the family drama.

"Maka-chan," the death scythe whined, "that's so unfair."

Melly sighed as the show came to an end and she decided to interrupt so that she could get her business taken care of and go home. "Spirit-senpai, you need to dictate stricter actions with your child," she said, suddenly appearing by Maka's side and frowning at the miserable weapon that was bawling at the feet of his daughter and Melly.

"M-M-Melly-chan! That's so mean!" the death scythe cried harder his tear tracks turning into waterfalls.

Melly put a hand on her hip and tilted her head to the side as she closed her eyes in exasperation. "I don't know how Kami-san put up with you for so long," the white haired girl sighed.

She felt Maka staring at her and turned to look at the taller teen. The blonde had a deep set frown gracing her features as she quietly observed the person standing next to her.

_She looks so much like Kami,_ Melly couldn't help but think to herself.

"You know my mother as well?" Maka asked, surprising the witch that she spoke directly to her. She quickly recovered and smiled happily at the older girl.

"Yes," she said. "Your mama and papa were the ones who brought me to Shibusen when I was five. The found me being attacked by other witches and saved me." Melly looked up at Maka with a smile. "I owe your parents a lot, Maka. That's one of the reasons I'm doing this teaching favor. Your papa is the one who suggested I teach instead of someone like Stein or Sid."

Maka stared at her teacher for a second before closing her eyes and sighing in defeat before looking at Melly with a smile.

The witch smiled in return before she remembered an important fact and slammed a fist into her hand in realization. "I forgot! They also asked me here because Stein thinks that a witch or two may have snuck in and they want me to find out who they are."

Maka looked at the girl in surprise before asking, "How's that going?"

"Cut me some slack, Maka-chan," Melly said as a gloomy aura surrounded her, "I'm good but I'm not _that_ good." Jim chuckled a bit and the witch turned around quickly, fuming. "Shut up, you stupid werewolf! You're not helping much in this either, ya know!" she said, a vein pulsing angrily in her forehead.

"Werewolf?" Maka asked.

"Yes, Maka-chan," Shinigami said, "Jim-kun is a runaway werewolf."

"He's also a brat," Melly mumbled to herself but was heard by all. Maka laughed nervously at her teacher's pouting face.

"Anyways, Melly-chan," Shinigami said changing the subject, "How's your investigation coming?"

The fun and games came to an abrupt halt as a serious air settled over the group. Melly looked at the ancient god from under her bangs as crimson eyes stared into the blank sockets of Shinigami's mask. "I can sense three other witches souls other than my own. One of them is fairly weak so it's probably a student. The other two are about the same level as me. One of them has me worried though because it's almost identical to mine," she said in a firm tone.

Shinigami nodded. "The student is probably Kim. She is a witch that ran away from the witch's council. You will help Stein find the other two witches," the god said.

Melly nodded and began to leave but as she reached the short flight of stairs, the witch twitched in annoyance. "Shinigami-sama?" she said without turning around to face whom she spoke to.

The death god turned to the girl with a slight "Ho?"

"Tell me you seriously didn't allow that idiot to become a meister," she said, staring down the guillotine hallway with another angry twitch.

Before he could answer Melly stepped to the side just in time for a trail of dust to go past and a boy with gravity defying spiky blue hair carrying a bad full of red pre-Kishin souls over his shoulder appeared in the center of the platform.

"YAHOOOO! BLACK STAR IS HERE!" the boy yelled deafeningly.

"Hey, Melly," Jim said, standing beside said girl, "Is that...?"

"Yup," she said with a pop to the 'p' as an annoyed look remained present on her face and her shoulders sagged.

"Hello, Hello, Black Star. How was the mission?" Shinigami asked.

"GREAT! BECAUSE I WAS THERE!" Black Star cheered, setting the bag of souls in front of Shinigami proudly.

"Eh? Where's your weapon?" the black cloaked god asked, looking behind the boy in search of the non-present weapon of the loud and obnoxious boy.

At the question, a girl ran up the platform yelling, "Black Star!"

She ran past the two visitors who stood by the stairs as she attempted to catch up with her partner.

"Hey, Tsu..." Black Star had turned to greet his weapon and let his words hand in the air when he saw the white haired witch who stood by the tall man.

There was an awkward silence as everyone looked between the two people with abnormally colored hair. A fearful look slowly covered the ninja boy's tanned face and he began to tremble and stutter as he raised a fearful hand to point at the single witch in the room. His eyes were dilated as he struggled to get his words out past his nervous stutter.

Finally, Black Star was able to get a single word out as his shaking settled slightly to where he could speak. "You!" he snarled.

"Hey, Little Star!" Melly cheered happily, saluting the boy with a wave.

"What the hell are you doing back here?" Black Star demanded an answer.

The girl only smiled a goofy grin without answering the angry boy.

"Black Star? Do you know this girl?" the weapon girl who stood beside him asked quietly.

"K-know her? She's one of the only things that haunts my dreams to this day!" Black Star declared as he grabbed his head and started to yank his blue hair out in visible fear.

Melly gave the whole room an innocent smile in reply to the boy's claims and strange actions. The girl, who, Melly figured, was Black Star's weapon partner, looked between the witch and him curiously seeing nothing scary about the small girl who stood next to the large man with only a smile.

"What do you mean?" she finally asked when she couldn't figure out why her meister was so scared of this one girl.

"S-s-sh-she's..." he was once again stuttering uncontrollably.

"I'm his sister," Melly declared to the whole room to take the pressure of speaking off of the hyper boy.

"Huh?" Maka and the girl said surprised.


	4. Chapter 4

"S-siblings?" Maka stared. She looked in between Melly and Black Star hurriedly, trying to see any physical evidence that they could be related. But other than the color of their skin and the fact that they both could be completely random, there were no similarities. Melly had white hair, similar to Soul's, and crimson red eyes. Black Star, however, had blue hair that spiked in every different direction and eyes that were a slightly darker shade of blue-green. 

"To be technical, we're foster siblings. Sid-sensei raised us both," Melly said with a bright smile. Maka stared in shock at the young witch and wondered how Sid had ever raised two people who were as rowdy as Black Star was and Melly seemed to be. 

"What are you doing here, Melly?" Black Star growled at the girl who stood across the dais from him. Again, Maka wondered about the relationship between the two 'siblings'. Black Star looked to have true animosity directed at Melly and she wondered what the girl had done to receive so much treatment from her brother figure. 

The girl shrugged his question off as though it didn't really matter whether she answered him or not. "Shinigami-sama asked me here to teach and lead an investigation," she stated bluntly. Obviously, Black Star didn't believe her with his next reaction. 

He snorted his disbelief and huffed. "Yeah, right! Shinigami may let you stay in Death City but there is no way he'd allow you to teach in Shibusen, Mellody," the blue haired ninja declared adamantly. It was quiet for a moment after his self-assured statement before Shinigami cleared his throat, breaking the silence. Black Star turned to the god with bugged eyes. He again could not believe this turn of events. His face contorted into one of unpleasantness. "You didn't," he groaned at the powerful deity. 

It was another quiet moment when Black Star fainted and fell to the ground in a daze. Melly sighed at her brother's melodramatics and took into serious thought how she had been able to stand his obnoxious behavior for so many years. She watched with mild interest as his weapon partner ran over to his side to tend to him in his unconscious state. 

"Black Star!" the girl called out worriedly as she kneeled down next to the boy and placed his head in her lap. She pulled a fan out from where it had been tucked into one of her thigh high stockings. She then proceeded to fan him with the fan that had the kanji for revive painted on it in a valiant attempt to rejuvenate him into wakefulness. 

Melly shook her head in disappointment, realizing that the boy before her would never change his theatrics and remain as child like as always. Looking over at her werewolf companion and noticing the textbooks tucked under his left arm, she remembered why she had come to the Death Room in the first place, Melly spoke up to inform her employer of her request. 

"Uh...Shinigami-sama," she started. When she had his undivided attention, she continued. "I'd like to get new books for my class. The ones that were previously assigned are inaccurate besides being in vast need of repair. I was wondering if the school could finance me in procuring the tomes more suited for my teaching methods and that contain the correct facts."

"Hoho! Already getting to it I see. I'm glad I chose you for this position, Mellody," Shinigami said, bobbing around in place like a slinky, and she could only imagine that he was smiling with pride behind his mask. "I'll let you get the books you require. When do you think you will have them by?"

"If I go ahead and order them tonight they can be here within the week," Melly stated. "In the meantime, I'll teach them on the facts that I know and hands on learning where it can be done."

"That sounds like a great plan, Melly," Shinigami bobbed his head in agreement of his comment. "I expect to see your students more thoroughly prepared for their field experience with you teaching them."

"Thank you, sir." 

With the affirmative from Shinigami to get the new books, Melly felt accomplished for the day and was looking forward to getting home, placing her order for the required books, and sleeping. She trotted back down the long hallway of guillotines and Jim followed close behind her at a fast walk as his longer stride allowed. The hallways were still empty with an echoing silence as the duo padded across the marble floors. 

Melly stretched with a yawn as the double doors closed behind her with a contradictory silent bang. "Jim, it's your turn to cook dinner," she said as they began the walk down the numerous steps leading away from Shibusen and towards the city with her hands tucked behind her head. 

Jim grunted in reply as they entered into the streets of Death City. 

After a few moments of silence, Jim finally spoke up. "I don't see why you don't just fly home. It would be much quicker," the werewolf grumbled. 

Melly stopped and turned to look back at her canine-shifting companion, her hands remaining behind her head. She held his ice blue stare with a bored red one, a staring contest ensuing between the two unlikely roommates. Finally, Jim looked away in defeat a mix between a frown and a pout appearing on his face. Melly smiled to herself slightly before turning back to the street and continuing her walk home after her long day at work. 

"I'm walking because I enjoy feeling normal from time to time," she explained. "Just because I have the power to do something doesn't mean that it is always necessary to use my power just to make life easier on me, no matter how much I'm tempted. Haven't you ever heard the phrase that with great power comes great responsibility?" she looked at him for a brief moment wondering if he understood her words before turning back when he remained stoic. "Or something like that," she finished unnecessarily. 

Jim stared at her back as the young witch continued the walk quietly. He often wondered how he ended up with such a strange partner. This was one of those moments. 

It was almost twilight by the time they reached the edge of the forest that was located on the edge of Death City. Melly inhaled deeply the scents of the forest, welcoming the scents of home. Moss, wet soil, the trees and leaves, and a faint trace of honeysuckle. All the scents filled her up as she closed her eyes and her mind brought her back to the first time she had come here. 

(Flashback) 

"Black Star! Hurry up!" at nine years Melly had no fear as she yelled back at her ego-maniac foster brother. 

"One such as me who surpasses god has no need to hurry," the blue haired ten year old yelled back in reply as he trudged slowly up the hill. He could go faster if he wanted to but Melly had been the one to drag them out on this field trip when he could be at home training to become to the new god of this world and one day surpass Shinigami. 

Melly stuck her lip out in a pout before the frown turned quickly into an excited smile and continuing up the hill. The silver bangles on her wrists and ankles jingled as she hopped up the hill in playful excitement. At least he would always know where his little sister would be with those bangles that Sid-sensei had given her when she started her training. Some things in life were extremely useful. 

_I hope he enjoys it,_ Melly thought to herself as she reached the top of the hill and turned to look back down to watch Black Star walk lazily up the dirt trail. He seemed to be taking his sweet time. 

After ten minutes of waiting, the ten year old finally reached the top and the young girl smiled at him happily, unperturbed for him making her wait for him, before running off again, giggling. Black Star heaved a sigh before following after his younger partner in crime once more.

Melly led him into a part of the forest that had seemed to be calling to her. A small brook flowed at one end of the tree shrouded clearing, the water flowing from one of the ancient oaks. The ground was soft and fluffy underfoot, covered by a vast patch of dark green grass and growing moss. A willow tree was rooted in a corner of the clearing and small white flowers hung in the hanging drapes of leaves like flowers in a girl's hair. 

As the girl stared around the clearing in awe, Black Star caught up for the second time. He watched as his little sister seemed to become the center of the surrounding plants and greenery. Before anything had happened she seemed to glow, as though the plants were welcoming her into their own personal fold and asking her to stay with them to play. 

"Why did you drag me out here, Melly?" the bored looking ninja asked. He may have looked bored but inside he was just now realizing how beautiful his little sister was once she was in a natural element like this. 

Melly looked at her brother with a sweet smile. "You know I'm a witch right?" she started. Of course he knew, how could he not? She spent half of her lessons and his throwing things at him at high speeds to see how quickly he could dodge her attacks. Whenever Sid-sensei caught them they would always say it was training for when he became an awesome meister at the DWMA. When he nodded she continued. "Well, Shinigami-sama asked me to use my magic to help keep this forest healthy. This is my first time here and I wanted you to see my first performance. You've never seen me perform before," she finished with a statement. 

"But, Melly, doesn't your magic involve music, not plants?" the boy asked. 

The witch smiled at him mischievously. "Just watch, silly. You'll be surprised," she said turning back to face the trees. 

Melly closed her eyes and lifted her arms above her head. Strands of her white hair brushed and tickled the skin of her arms but she ignored it crossed her wrists in front of each other. Breathing deeply, she whispered into the wind that brushed through the clearing, "Muse music musical muse." 

Her bangles chimed once without her moving before she slowly began to move her arms to where the bangles on her wrists chimed a sweet tune. Then she began to turn in circles, balancing on the balls of her feet and moving her anklets to make a matching tune to the ones on her wrists. Her movements slowly turned into an elegant dance and as she danced, bangles chiming, Black Star watched the plants surrounding his little sister begin to glow lightly. He watched in amazement as the plants seemed to take power from the music in the air that was produced by his sister's movements. He turned his attention back to the show and smiled in amazement at his little sister's talent. 

Her dance slowly came to an end and Melly stumbled a bit when she stopped moving. A wave of vertigo washed over her and she thought she would end up falling on her face, but someone wrapped warm, muscular arms around her waist to keep Melly's face from becoming well acquainted with the mossy ground. 

Melly looked up into the blue-green eyes of her brother with an exhausted smile. "So? What do you think?" she asked. A slight shade of pink covered her cheeks from exertion as she panted to catch her breath. 

Black Star nodded in approval and helped her to stand up straight. "We should get back soon before Sid-san gets worried," Black Star said. 

Melly nodded and smiled as her brother led her away from the forest, her hand held tightly in his. Protected. 

(End Flashback) 

Melly opened her crimson eyes and smiled at the sweet memories. She couldn't ask for a better childhood than the one she had, given the circumstances of who she was. She could only imagine the life she could have had if she had been raised by other witches or had simply grown up alone and on her own. The thought scared her and she felt a cold shiver run down her spine but shook it off. 

It was quiet again. The birds didn't sing and the crickets didn't chirp. It was almost eerie and Melly knew something was not right in her forest. Then, she heard Jim growl softly. 

The witch stopped and looked back at the werewolf and saw him glaring at the edge of the trees along the path they were taking back to their cottage. Following his gaze and looking forward, it took a second to realize who it was that was intruding but then Melly's eyes narrowed when she discerned who was treading on the land she was charged to protect. 

"I should have known you were one of those souls I felt," Melly smirked at her own stupidity. "It's been a while, eh, Medusa-chan?" 

The blonde woman smiled a snaky smile at the girl in return.


End file.
